These 6 Restaurants Use Beef Tallow for Frying Instead of Seed Oils

If you've spent time on social media recently, you've likely heard people talking about the dangers of seed oil and the benefits of beef tallow. You may have even heard people talk so negatively about seed oils on TikTok or other platforms that you vowed never to eat canola oil again. While there's certainly some disagreement about whether the "Hateful Eight," or most common seed oils, are really that bad for you, there has been a rise in restaurants offering foods, such as fries, cooked in beef tallow instead.

You may not know that fast food restaurants used to fry their food in beef tallow before saturated fat started to be seen as problematic. McDonald's, for example, phased out beef tallow in favor of 100% vegetable oil in 1990, as a way to make their fries and hashbrowns healthier.

Some fast-food customers look for beef tallow fries because they're concerned about the use of seed oils, while others prefer the taste. Regardless of why you're searching for beef tallow fries, we'll tell you where to find them. In this slideshow, you'll also see what experts say about the beef tallow vs. seed oil debate.

This post was updated in December 2025 to include updated information about restaurants that use beef tallow for frying.

Using beef tallow for cooking isn't a new method, but many have only heard of it recently due to its rise in popularity throughout 2024 and 2025. The resurgence of beef tallow can partially be blamed on social media, but there are political aspects to its resurgence as well.

Figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who became the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services in February 2025 and has promoted the use of beef tallow, have also contributed to its popularity. In his mission to Make America Healthy Again, seed oils have been one of the primary targets.

Beef tallow is made of animal fat, typically cow fat, and is used for both cooking and beauty products. While beef tallow is rich in fat-soluble vitamins and choline, it is also high in saturated fat. It's a good choice for deep-frying because it has a high smoke point compared to most oils.

Although many people have started actively avoiding seed oils because of what they've heard online, according to the American Heart Association, there's no reason to avoid them. There's a lot of disagreement about whether seed oils are good or bad for you, but if there's one thing experts do tend to agree on, it's that you should eat everything (especially fried foods) in moderation. Even so, if you prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, there are lots of options out there.

No matter why you're searching for fries (or other fast food items) fried in beef tallow, you might not know where to look. Although many restaurants are still cooking in vegetable oil and other seed oils, many have switched to a mix of beef tallow and oil or are using 100% beef tallow for the frying process.

If you've seen Steak 'n Shake in the news, then it comes as no surprise that this burger joint is serving up beef tallow fries. According to the Steak 'n Shake website, they now cook their fries, onion rings, and chicken tenders in 100% beef tallow. RFK Jr. even visited and praised the restaurant chain for making this switch.

Portillo's is the place to find a tasty hot dog, burger, or beef & sausage sandwich. According to the restaurant chain, they've been serving "unrivaled Chicago street food since 1963." Although Portillo's doesn't use 100% beef tallow, their nutrition information states they use a blend of vegetable oil and beef tallow for their fries and onion rings.

Outback Steakhouse is another restaurant that has used beef tallow to fry certain items before it was trendy, although you'll still find seed oils in their restaurants. According to one comment from the Outback Steakhouse National Facebook page, they use a variety of oils in the frying process, including vegetable oil and beef tallow.

Smashburger is a popular burger joint that has grown exponentially since the first location opened in 2007. According to the Smash Burger website, they use butter on the grill, blended oil on the Smash Fries, and a blend of beef tallow and vegetable oil in their fryers.

Popeyes is one of the top fried chicken restaurants in the country, and customers mainly rave about its tasty fried chicken and biscuits. Part of what gives their food its delicious flavor is what they use to fry it. Popeyes uses a blend of beef tallow and vegetable oils for frying at some locations, but practices may vary by region.

If you're in the mood for some tasty chicken wings, Buffalo Wild Wings has all the wings and sauces you could want. Buffalo Wild Wings uses beef tallow to fry their wings, chips, and certain other menu items at most locations. In 2018, Buffalo Wild Wings faced a lawsuit for not disclosing the use of beef tallow in their frying process, but the case was dismissed.